Musical instrument



Sept. 30, 1924. 1,510,023

' J. N. YASEY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed July '7, 1922 Patented Sept. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH N. VASEY, OF BROOKFIELD, ILLINOIS.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

, I Application filed July 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr N. VAsnY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brookfield, in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in :Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to musical instruments of the string type and covers particularly improved construction and arrangement of the string supporting frame and sounding board structure. In string instruments the strings are usually stretched across the frame at the top therof to be engaged by the fingers or. by striking mechanism, the strings being stretched to the proper tone by means of tuning pins. The heavy tension on the strings has a tendency to warp or bulge the frame. The important objectof my invention is to provide a metallic skeleton struc ture at the bottom of the frame, such structure being secured at one end to the frame and affording anchorage at its other end for the strings. The arrangement is such that the skeleton structure is secured at one end to the frame along the same-side that supports the tuning pins, the strings being secured to the other end of the structure and then extending around the edge of the frame and across-the top thereof to the tuning pins.

When the strings are all stretched and tuned the skeleton structure is under the same tension as the strings and the frame is therefore .under uniform strain and will not bulge or 1 warp.

Another important object of the invention is to leave the skeleton structure beyond its secured end freefrom the frame so that it may vibrate to increase the resonance of the instrument. Another object of the inven-. tion is to provide simplified means for anchoring the strings to the skeleton structure.

The aboveand other features of my invention are incorporated in the construction illustrated on the accompanying drawing, in which s v Fig. 1 is a top view of a string supporting frame. I

Fig. 2 is an under side view showing the anchorage and strain equalizing skeleton structure, I Fig. 3 is a sectional'view on plane 3-3, Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view show- Serial No. 573,364.

the air holes 12' therein.

, Secured on top of the. frame adjacent to the longitudinal sides thereof are the bridge strips 13 and 14 provided with wire beads 15 on which the strings 8 rest, the strings extending around the spacing pins 16 and to the tuningpins 17. To support the frame in playing position, legs .L are provided.

On the under side of the frame is the skeleton reenforcing and balancing structure indicated as a whole by B. This structure comprises transversely extending bars or hands 18-of metal and these bands are se cured to the side beam 5 below the tuning pins. To space the bands away from the panel 12 spacer blocks 19 are provided. screws 20 extending through the band and blocks and threading into the side beam 5. At their opposite ends the bands are all secured to the longitudinally extending bar 21 which is close to and parallel with the edge of the side beam 6. The string ends are all anchored to this bar and extend around the edge of the beam 6, and then across the top of the frame to the tuning pins. l/Vire beads 22 and 23 are applied at the upper and lower corners of the beam 6 against which the strings engage.

In Fig. lmy improved means for anchoring the strings to the bar 21 "is shown. Through the bar 21 are the holes 24 spaced. in accordance with thestring spacing. Link members 25 having inner and outer hooks 26 and 27 anchor the strings to the bar. The inner hooks of the links are engaged through the holes and the ends of the strings are secured to the outer hooks 27 as clearly shown in Fig." 4. These links can be readily hooked to the bar 21 and the strings can be provided with loops or eyes 28 for readily receiving the links.

If necessary aspacer strip 29 is secured at the. lower corner of the side beam 6 to support the wire bead 23 so that when the strings are under tension the bands 18 will be uniformly spaced away from the lower panel 12. lVhen the strings are put under tension by means of the tuning tension will be communicateo to the ba 18, the combined tension on the bands being equivalent to the combined tension on the strings, so that the tension across the upp and lower sides of the frame will be ego and humping, bulging and warping of frame will be prevented. The meta structure being secured directly only one sioe to the frame and being otherwie clear of the frame, the structure has a. chance to vibrate and will thus i resonance and sound properties L or the sine.

By making the structure of steel it will be very light vet erlceedinglv strong. T e

links 25 greatly simpliff the assemblig. prior structures anchorage pins had driven into the bottom of the frame for t strings. With the linlrs all that is necessan is to hook them to th-e'bar 21 and to tl e strings and then to turn the tuning pm until the strings have been properly stretched and tuned.

I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction and arrangement shown as changes are possible which will still come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim as follows:

1. in a musical instrument, the combination of a frame, band secured at one end to the bottom of the frame near one edge thereof, a string anchored to the other end of said band and extending around the other edge of said frame and across the top there of, and a tuning pin receiving the end of said string.

2. in a musical instrument, the combination of a string supporting frame, a metal. band secured at one end and to the under side of said frame at one edge thereof and extending toward the other edge of said frame, a string anchored to the end of said band and extending around the edge of to frame and across the top thereof and parallel with the band, and a tuning pin at t io top of the frame receiving said string.

3. in a musical instrument, the

combination of a string supporting frame, a metal band secured at one end to the bottom of said frame near one edge thereof and extending to the other edge of said said band being spaced away from said i i a string anchored to the end of said band and extending around the edge of said frame and across the top thereof parallel with said band, and a tuning pin "receiving the end of said string.

a, In a musical instrument, the combination of a string supporting frame, metal band secured at one end to the bottom of said frame at one side thereof, said band being otherwise free and spaced from said frame a distance, a string anchored to the string supporting frame, a plurality of bands secured at one end to the bottom of said frame along one edge thereof and extending parallelly to the other edge of said frame, a bar to which the ends of said bands are secured, strings anchored to sad bar and extending around the edge frame anti across the top thereof u'th said bands, and tuning pins f the ends of said strings.

n a musical instrument, the combinaf a string supporting frame, metal secured at one end to the bottom of .me along one edge thereof and ent toward the other edge of said frame, a bar adjacent said other edgesecured to the s in said holes, strings secured at one end to said links and extending around the edge of said frame and across the top thereof parallel with said bands, and tensioning pins on said frame receiving the strin ends.

tion of a string supporting frame, a plurality ofbands secured at one end to the bottom of said. frame along one edge thereof, said bands extending parallelly toward the other edge of said frame and being spaced from said frame, a bar secured to the ends of said bands, strings connected to sa d bar and extending around the edge frame and across the top thereof, i ning pins on said frame receiving the ng ends.

8. in a musical instrument, the combination of a string supporting frame, a plurality of metal bands extending across the bottom of said frame, a bar connecting said bands at one end, said bands at their other ends being secured to the bottom of said frame but said bar and bands being otherwise 'utirely free of said frame, strings anchored to said bar and extending around the edge of said frame and across the top thereof parallel with said bands, and tuning pins receiving the ends of said strings.

9, In a musical instrument, the combination of string supporting frame, a metal and secured at one end to the bottom of said frame at one edge thereof and extending to the other edge of said frame, a tuning pin on the upper side of said frame opposite the secured end of said band, a string engaged by said tuning pin and extending across the frame parallel with said band and around the edge of said frame to the under side thereof, and a link detachably connected with said bands and string for anchoring the string to the band.

a musical instrument, the combinan a musical instrument, the combina- 10. In a musical instrument, the combination of a string supporting frame, string supporting strips on said frame and tuning pins along one edge of said frame, strings secured to said pins, a plurality of metal bands secured to the under side of said frame below the tuning pins, said bands extending parallelly across the bottom of said frame to its other edge, a bar secured to the ends of said bands and having holes therethrough, and links detachably engaging in said holes, the ends of said strings engaging around the edge of said frame and secured to said links.

11. In a musical instrument, the combination of a string supporting frame, string holes therethrough, links detachably engaging in said holes, and strings extending from said links around the edge of said frame and to said pins, said bands and bar being spaced away from said frame to be free to vibrate.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name. this 26th day of June, A. D. 1922.

JOSEPH N. VASEY. 

